Elastic foot attachment for full fashioned hosiery knitting machines



Jan. 29, 1935. V E, O. NEBEL 1,989,173

ELASTIC FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 29, 1935. E. o. NEBEL 1,989,173

ELASTIC FEDOT ATTACHMENT FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Allllllllillllnllhlflp"[IllllllfllllIlllllllllllllillllllllllllIIlllllllllllllll l v.

Jan. 29, 1935. E. o. NEBEL ELASTIC FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. O. NEBEL Jan. 29, 1935.

ELASTIC FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet Jan. 2 1935. E Q NEBEL 1,989,173

ELASTIC FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 19 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 29, 1935. T E, Q. NEBEL 1,989,173

ELASTIC FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINES File N 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 M? EwiQyw/XM Patented Jan. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,989,173 ELASTIC FOOT ATTACHMENT FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY KNITTING CHINES Ernst Oscar Nebel, Jenkintown, Pa.; Fred C. Gartner and E. Stanley Martin executors of said Ernst Oscar Nebel, deceased Application November 4, 1933, Serial No.

20 Claims.

This invention relates to flat full fashioned hosiery knitting machines, and concerns mechanism adapted to cooperate with conventional parts of the machine to produce elastic foot" hosiery as disclosed in the applicants copending agplication Serial No. 691,199 filed September 27,

The construction and operation of the mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention and the cooperation of such mechanism with the other elements of the machine in producing the above noted elastic foot hosiery will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of a machine of the type noted and particularly illustrating the conventional needle-controlling mechanism of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the machine illustrating the selvedge reinforcing mechanism of the machine with the mechanism of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the mechanism of the present invention in detail;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 4--4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation illustrating parts of the mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 5;

Figs. '1 and 8 are respectively a front and side elevation of the mechanism for producing full loose and normal courses in the toe of the stocking; and

Fig. 9 is Fig. '1.

The machine, as shown in Fig. 1, normally comprises laterally spaced transverse frames 1, 1, which are rigidly connected by longitudinal frame members including a back 3, and a top beam 4. Rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the transverse frames 1, 1 are the main cam shaft 5, the needle raising and lowering rock shaft 6, and the needle rocking shaft '7.

The needle raising and lowering shaft 6 is pro vided with laterally spaced levers 8 to which the needle bars 9, which carry the needles 10, are pivoted at 11. The shaft 6 is also provided with a lever 12 which carries a cam follower 13. The cam follower 13 is pressed into cooperating engagement with the peripheral edge of the needle raising and lowering cam 14 on the shaft 5, by a a sectional view taken on the line 9-9,

spring 15; whereby rotation of the shaft 5 periodically raises and lowers the needles 10.

Rocking of the needles about the pivots 11, is accomplished by an arm 16 depending from the needle bar 9 and pivotally connected at 17 to a throw-out link 18. The link 18 is recessed at 19 for the reception of a pin 20 projecting laterally from a lever 21 which is mounted on the needle rock shaft 7. The lever 21 is provided with a cam follower 22 adapted to be engaged by a lobe 23a on the peripheral edge of a needle-rocking cam 23 carried by the main cam shaft 5, to rock the needles l periodically against the presser edge 24 of the sinker bed 25 which is carried by the top beam 4.

Rocking of the needles 10 away from the presser edge 24 is accomplished by a spring 26 and the extent of such movement to position the needles in predetermined relation the extreme projected position of the throats 2'? of the sinkers 28, for governing the length of the stitches to be formed in each successive course, is controlled by the stitch regulating shaft 29, which is provided with a lever 30 having a laterally extending pin 31 against which the needle-rocking lever 21 is held by the spring 26.

Secured to the stitch regulating shaft 29 is a lever 32 and loosely mounted on said shaft is a lever 33 which is provided with a cam follower 34 adapted to engage the peripheral edge of the stitch-regulating cam 35 secured to the main cam shaft 5.

The lever 32 is provided with a screw 36 which bears against the lever 33 for regulating the angular relation between said levers for definitely determining or regulating the normal length of the stitches to be produced in the successive courses. A spring 3'7 rocks the regulating shaft 29 and the lever 32 toward the lever 33 which presses the end of the regulating screw 36 against the lever 33. The action of the spring 3'7 tends to rock the lever 33 toward the shaft and said rocking motion is limited normally by the cam follower 34 engaging the concentric portion 350. of the cam 35, whereby the regulating shaft is held in a definite position.

The holding of the shaft 29 in said predetermined position also holds the lever 30 in a definite position which, through the pin 31, limits the movement of the lever 21 in a direction toward the shaft 5, and this in turn definitely positions the needles with respect to the outermost position of the throats 27 of the sinkers 28, which determines the normal length of the stitches to be formed. This normal length may be increased or decreased by manually turning the regulating screw 36. However, once the normal length is determined for any given run of stocking the regulating screw remains in its set position for that run.

During the knitting of the foot of a stocking including the reinforced foot sole portions adjacent the opposite side edges of the blank and the nonreinforced instep portion intermediate the reinforced foot sole areas the length of the stitches in the two reinforced foot sole areas in each course of stitches is slightly increased with respect to the normal length of the stitches in the same courses which constitute the non-reinforced instep portions intermediate the two reinforced foot sole areas, to accommodate the additional thread in the foot sole areas which provides the reinforcement therein.

In what is known in the trade as the cradle foot stocking the lines of demarcation between the reinforced sole. areas and the intermediate non-reinforced'i'nstep area, near the toe of the stocking, and in some case near the heel of the stocking, extend at angles to the wales of the knitted fabric. In order to restrict the formation of the slightly lengthened stitches of each course to the reinforced areas and to insure the formation of said slightly lengthened stitches right up to the lines of demarcation between the reinforced foot sole areas and the non-reinforced instep portion of the foot the following mechanism is employed. Primarily this mechanism functions to rock the needles slightly toward the presser edge 24 from the normal position the needles assume during the feeding, measuring and sinking of yarn for normal length stitches; to maintain the needles in this slightly rocked position while the main and reinforcing thread carriers traverse the needles from one edge of the stocking blank inwardly thereof to the point representing the line of demarcation between the reinforced foot sole and adjacent non-reinforced instep portions of the blank; to return the needles to the normal stitch length position in which the needles are retained while the main thread carrier traverses the needles making the normal length stitches of the non-reinforced instep portion; and to rock the needles again to the above noted slight extent while the main thread carrier and another reinforcing thread carrier traverse the remaining needles of the bank knitting the second of the reinforced foot sole areas adjacent the second edge of the blank.

The mechanism which normally produces the above noted actions of the needles is clearly illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, and 6. This mechanism includes a substantially rectangular open rocker frame 40 pivotally mounted on a shaft 41 carried by brackets 42, 42 which are secured to the back beam 2. Pivotally mounted to the rocker frame 40, below the pivot 41 thereof, is 43. The link 43 extends substantially horizontal with an arched portion 44 passing over and above the main cam shaft 5. The free end of the link is provided with an adjustable push screw 45 arranged to engage a rear flat face 46 on one end of the pintle 47 which forms the rotary mounting for the cam follower 34 of the stitch-regulating lever 33.

Rotatably mounted on the push link 43 is a roller 48, which normally is adapted to be engaged by a push cam 49 secured to the main cam shaft 5, to rock the frame 40 about its pivot 41 sufliciently to permit the push screw 45 to drop behind the projection 4'! on the stitch-regulating lever 33.

The upper end of the rocker frame 40 is provided with a horizontally disposed rail or track 50, see Figs. 5 and 6 particularly. The vertically disposed inner surface of the track 50 lies substantially parallel to a plane including the outer vertical surfaces 51 and 52 of a pair of horizontal- 1y relatively movable slides 53 and 54 respectivemoved step by step from each other in coordination with the stops for the thread carriers that lay the reinforcing threads to the needles producing the two laterally spaced reinforced foot sole areas, whereby the lines of demarcation between the foot sole and the intermediate instep portions of the stocking foot may be made to assume any desired contour with respect to the wales of the fabric.

The slide blocks 53 and 54 are moved toward and away from each other by rods 55 and 56 respectively which are controlled by narrowing and widening screw mechanism actuated from the main cam shaft 5 in coordination with the somewhat similar narrowing and widening screw mechanism which controls the positioning of the stops for the reinforcing thread bars, none of which is illustrated in the present instances as this mechanism is well known to those familiar with the art.

The slide blocks 53 and 54 are mounted on a slide bar 5'1 rigidly carried by brackets 58, 58 secured to the under side of the top rail 4. Operatively mounted for free sliding movement on the slideway 5'1 intermediate the slide blocks 53 and 54 is a rider 59 having a vertical surface 60 aligned with the corresponding surfaces 51 and 52 of the slide blocks 53 and 54 respectively.

Arranged to move horizontally in a vertical plane intermediate the surfaces 50, 51, 52 and 60 of the rocker frame rail and the slide blocks 51, 52 and the rider 60, is a rocker blade 61 which is pivotally connected at 62 to the Coulier motion guide box 63. The guide box 63 is adapted for reciprocatory movement on the guide bar 64 in the usual manner well known to those familiar with the art. It is, therefore, sufllcient to say that as the guide box reciprocates to carry the the needle banks the sinkers are advanced to sink the thread or threads around the needles and at the same time the needles are rocked to and fro in the manner above noted by the rocker blade 61 forcing its way between the face 51 of the guide block 53 and the face 50 of the rocker frame 40 which rocks the frame 40 about its pivot 41 and thereby moves the push link 43 longitudinally which in turn rocks the stitch-regulating lever 33 outwardly away from the main cam shaft 5. Rocking of the lever 33 in this manner rocks the stitchregulating shaft 29 and the lever 30 secured thereto which, through the pin 31, rocks the lever 21, and this lever through the throw-out link 18 and depending arm 16 rocks the needle bar 9 about its pivot 11 throwing the needles from the normal stitch length position to the slightly increased stitch length position above noted.

The rocker blade 61 then snaps off the inner edge 51a of the slide block 53 and the whole chain of mechanism above noted then reverses under action of the springs 26 to restore the needles 10 to the normal stitch length position for laying of the main thread thereto for the instep portion of the blank.

toward or away Continued movement of the rocker blade 61 in the same direction as before noted causes the blade to engage the rider 59 causing it to slide on the bar 5'7 until it engages the second slide block 54 whereupon the rider stops and the blade 61 forces its way between the face 60 of the rider and the face 50 of the rocker frame 40 causing the rocking of in the manner above described at the instant the main thread guide arrives at the point denoting the line of demarcation between the non-reinforced instep portion and the second reinforced foot sole portion adjacent the second side of the blank.

The blade slides from the face 60 of the rider 59 onto the face 52 of the second slide block 54 and the action is so quick that the rider 59 rebounds to a position spaced from the contacted slide block, intermediate the two slide blocks.

The blade 61 then rides off the outer edge of the slide block 54 and the needles 10 return to normal length stitch position in the manner above noted.

On the reverse movement of the Coulier guide box 63 the blade 61 moves in an opposite direction to that above described and engages first the face 52 of the slide block 54 rocking the needles 10 to the increased stitch length position, after which the blade 61 snaps off the inner edge 52a of the block 54 and the needles return to the normal stitch length position. The blade 61 then engages and slides the rider into contact with the slide block 53 and rides up on the surface 60 of the rider then on off the outer edge of the face 51 of the slide block 53 during which the needles 10 are for the second time, during the laying of thread for a single course of stitches, rocked to the increased stitch length position and back to the normal stitch length position.

In order to permit the needles to be rocked into engagement with the presser surface 24 to cast stitches the push link is raised to lift the push screw 45 out of the path of the projection 4'7 on the stitch-regulating lever 33 and for this purpose the main cam shaft 5 is provided with a cam 65 which engages an enlargement 64 on the push link 43 and after the needles have cast their stitches the cam 49 functions in the manner noted above to restore the push screw 45 to its operative position behind the projection 47 on the stitch-regulating lever 33 for a repeat of the operations just described.

When plain knitting is being produced on the machine and under circumstances hereinafter described the push link 43 is swung laterally from its operative position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4 to an inoperative position shown in full lines in said figure, to which position the link is moved when the attachment is being used in conjunction with the mechanism the applicant has provided to accomplish his particular purpose in conjunction with the attachment and the other conventional parts of the machine, as will now be described.

As set forth in the above noted copending application, the applicant rocks the needles toward the pressure edge 24 to a greater extent than the needles are rocked when the increased length stitches are to be made in the reinforced foot sole areas of the stocking foot made according to the prior art methods. The stitches pro.- duced by the applicant's mechanism, due to their being longer than the lengthened reinforced stitches of the prior art as above described asslime substantially the same proportions as what is generally termed in the art as a loose course".

In forming the applicant's elastic foot loose stitches are made in that part of a course forming the foot sole reinforcement at one side of the blank only and the rest of the course across the instep portion and the second foot sole portion at the opposite side of the foot blank is composed of normal length stitches. In the next succeeding course of stitches the loose stitches are formed in said second foot sole reinforced area and the remainder of the course across the instep and first said foot sole reinforced area is composed of normal length stitches, thus in each of the foot sole areas the loose stitch portions of the succeeding courses alternate with the normal stitch portions of the succeeding courses throughout the length of the foot sole and the toe portion of the stocking.

The alternating loose and normal stitch course portions in the foot sole areas are produced in the following manner: One of the rocker frame brackets 42 is provided with a lateral projection '70, disposed substantially at the bearing for the rocker frame pivot shaft 41. Pivoted to the outer end of the projection '70 in laterally spaced relation to and in a horizontal plane slightly above the plane of the axis of the shaft 41, at '71, is a free swinging arcuate arm '72, the lower end of which is disposed below the plane of the pivot 43a by which the push link 43 is connected to the lower portion of the rocker frame 40. Pivoted at '73 to the lower end of the loose arm '72 is one end of a supplemental push link '74 which is inclined from the pivot '73 and passes over and above the main cam shaft 5, directly above which the supplemental push link is provided with a cam follower roller '75.

the pivots '71 and '73 the loose arm '72 is provided with a roller '76 which bears against the rocker frame 40. Under circumstances hereinafter noted, the loose arm '72 becomes, for all intents and purposes, a part of the rocker frame 40 and provides a greater leverage between the pivot 41 and the pivot '73 of the supplemental push link '74 than is provided between the pivot 41 and the pivot 43a of the primary push link 43, whereby a greater amount of longitudinal movement is given the supplemental push link '72 than is given the primary push link 43 by the same amount of rocking movement of the rocking frame 40.

A spring '77 stretched between the projection '70 of the bracket 42 and the center of the supplemental push link '74 resiliently holds the roller '76 of the loose arm '72 in contact with the rocker frame 40 so that as the upper end of the rocker frame is swung outwardly and the lower end of the frame is swung inwardly the loose arm '72 will be rocked about its pivot '71 and thereby swing the pivot '73 inwardly to a greater extent than the pivot 43a, due to the difference in the leverages 41--43a and 4l--'73.

The supplemental push link '74 is provided with a depending extension '78 on which is provided an adjustable push screw '79. The rod 4'7 which provides the rotary support for the cam follower roller 34 on the stitch-regulating lever 33 and which affords the projection on one side of said lever which is engaged by the attachment push screw 45, also projects outwardly from the opposite side of the lever 33 to provide a projection 80 for engagement by the push screw '79 of the supplemental push link '74.

The push screw '79 is normally supported above the projection 80 by the roller '75 riding the concentric peripheral edge of a cam 81 secured to the main cam shaft 5. The spring 7'7 will rock the lower end of the rocker frame 40 outwardly to a position wherein the push screw '79 may drop behind the projection 80, whereupon the roller '75 is lowered onto a depressed segment 82 of the cam 81 by a spring 83, which draws the push screw '79 downwardly into line with and behind the projection 80.

At substantially the same time as the push screw '79 is lined up with the projection 80 on the stitch-regulating lever 33 the rocker blade 61 rides between the rail 50 of the rocker frame 40 and one of the slide blocks, for example the slide block 53, by which the lower end of the rocker frame 40 is rocked inwardly, thereby rocking the loose arm '72 which effects a longitudinal movement of the supplemental push rod '74. The push screw engaging the projection on the stitchregulating lever 33 rocks the lever 33 and the shaft 29, whereby the needles 10 are rocked toward the presser edge 24 in the same manner as above noted, but to a greater extent than that before noted, whereby a partial course of loose stitches is formed in the reinforced area at one side of the blank.

The blade 61 then snaps off the edge 51a of the slide block 53 and the needles are thereby rocked outwardly to the normal stitch length position.

Before the blade 61 can ride up on the surface 60 of the rider 59 to retilt the needles to a position to form loose stitches in the second foot sole portion, in the same course with the loose stitches in the first foot sole portion, the trailing edge 82a of the depression 82 in the cam 81 engages the roller '75 and raises the link '74, thereby releasing the push screw '79 from the projection 80 on the stitch-regulating lever 33. This occurs about the time the thread guides are at or near the center of the needle bank. Consequently, when the blade 61 does ride up onto the surface 60 of the side 59 and thereby rocks the rocker frame 40, no rocking of the stitch-regulating shaft 29 is accomplished.

Obviously, when the blade 61 moves in the opposite direction during its reciprocatory actuation, the needles 10 are rocked to the loose stitchforming position during the laying of the thread to the needles producing the second said foot sole portion and then immediately moved to the normal stitch length position during the laying of the thread for the remainder of that particular course of stitches included in the instep and first said foot sole portions of the blank.

The link '74 is provided with a laterally projecting pin 84 which is adapted to be hung in a hook 85 carried by a stud 86 secured to one of the frame members 1, whereby the link '74 may be maintained in a raised position and drawn forwardly so that the roller '76, the roller '75, and the push screw 79 are out of their normal operative relation to the rocker frame 40, cam 81, and projection 80 respectively at such times, for example as when the link 43 is operating to produce cradle foot hosiery according to the prior art.

At other times the links 43 and 74 may be in their operating positions at one and the same time, in which case the link '74 will move the stitch-regulating lever 31 to the loose stitch position during the laying of thread to the needles knitting one of the foot sole reinforcement areas; and during the laying of the thread to the needles knitting the second foot sole reinforcement area the link 74 will be raised by the cam 80 permitting the link 43 to move the stitch-regulating lever 31 to the above mentioned slightly increased stitch position, or intermediate position, whereby in the foot from the front of the heel tabs to the rear of the toe area each course of stitches therein will include a group of loose stitches in the one foot sole area, normal stitches in the instep area, and a group of intermediate stitches in the other of the foot sole areas. This arrangement is alternated in succeeding courses whereby in each foot sole area loose stitches alternate with intermediate stitches walewise of the fabric.

It will be observed that the rocking of the needles by the push link '74 must be effected in opposition to the heavy tension of the plurality of springs 26, only one of which is shown in the present instance, which normally control the movement of all the needle banks in the entire machine, frequently numbering twenty four, and to this is added the additional leverage 41-73 over 41--43a, which makes the rocking of the needles 10 by the link '74 more difficult and creates a pounding effect when the blade 61 rides up suddenly on one of the cam surfaces of the slide blocks 53, 54 or 59.

To offset this pounding effect and to relieve the excessive strain on the push link '74, the stitch-regulating shaft 29 is provided with a lever 90, see Figs. 3 and 4, having a horizontally extending short shaft 91 on which is mounted, and slidably mounted for lateral movement, a cam follower roller 92. The roller 92 is adapted to be engaged by a relatively short segmental booster cam 93, which is adjustably secured to a disc, cam or other hub element 94 secured to the main cam shaft 5 in such position thereon that just as the thread guides start across the bank of needles to lay thread thereto for another course of stitches the leading edge of the booster cam 93 engages the roller 92 and rocks the stitch-regulating shaft 29 so that the needles 10 are rocked to the loose stitch position. The blade 61 then engages a slide block and rocks the frame 40 and the cam depression 82 drops the link '74 by which the push screw '79 drops behind the projection 80 on the stitch-regulating lever 33 on the stitch-regulating shaft 29. The trailing edge of the booster cam then rides from under the roller 92 leaving the stitch-regulating shaft 29 under the control of the push link '74 until the blade 61 snaps off the inner edge of the engaged slide block whereupon the push link '74 is again raised by the point 82a of the cam 81--82, in the manner above noted.

The time at which the needles are rocked to the loose course position when the thread carriers start across the bank of needles is not of any great importance when the reinforcement extends from the selvedge edge of the blank inwardly, so long as the rocking takes place before the thread guides pass the first needle on which a previously formed stitch is hanging, therefore, the action of the booster cam 93 may precede the engagement of the rocker blade 61 with one of the slide blocks 53 or 54 as the case may be, or these actions may take place simultaneously, however, it is important that as soon as the link 74 assumes the full load of maintaining the needles in the loose stitch position that the booster cam release the stitch-regulating shaft 29 so that the needles will resume the normal stitch position immediately and simultaneously with the snapping of the rocker blade 61 off the inner edge of the slide block when the thread guides reach the needle denoting the line of demarcation between the foot sole and adjacent instep portions as determined by the relative posi- 06. lliXllLtS, KNH llnu.

tions of the slide blocks 53 and 54, so that the relation of these blocks will change said line of demarcation to any desired extent between the formation of any two immediately succeeding courses, and so that the loose stitches will be produced up to, but at no time beyond, the line of demarcation as established by the relative positions of the slide blocks.

When the push link '74 is moved to its completely inoperative position, i. e. when the pin 84 is engaged by the hook 85, the booster roller 92 is likewise moved to an inoperative position, i. e. out of the plane of rotation of the booster cam 93, by sliding the roller axially of its supporting shaft 91. This is accomplished by a lever 95 pivoted at 96 to the lever 90 and provided with a pin 9'7 riding in an annular groove 98 formed in the hub 99 of the roller 92, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The toe portion of the applicant's elastic foot" stocking is composed of full loose courses extending from selvedge to selvedge of the blank which alternate either with normal stitch courses or intermediate stitch courses as desired and for this purpose a modified form of loose course attachment is provided as shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 9, wherein the stitch-regulating shaft 29 is provided with a lever 100 which rotatably carries a roller 101 adapted to be engaged by a cam 102 on the main cam shaft while the thread is being laid to the entire complement of needles knitting the toe area of the stocking.

The extreme end of the tee is usually knitted of three threads whereas the foot sole areas at opposite sides of the blank usually are composed of two threads run to the needles simultaneously, in view of which the three thread courses are lengthened slightly over the two thread courses. For this reason the roller 101 is mounted on an eccentric bushing 104 which in turn is rotatably mounted on a stud 105 mounted in a horizontal slot 106 formed in the head 107 of the lever 100 and clamped rigidly in its adjusted position by a nut 108.

The eccentric bushing 104 is provided with an arm 109 having a laterally projecting pin 110 to which is secured one end of a spring 111, the opposite end of which is secured to the lever 100 at 112 whereby the lever 109, eccentric 104 and roller 101 may be rocked from the position producing loose stitches to a position to produce super-loose stitches when desired, the arm 109 being limited in its movement by and between stop screws 113 and 114 respectively carried by lugs 115, 116 formed on the lever head 107. The spring 111 by crossing the axis of the stud 105 when the arm 109 is rocked from one position to the other holds the arm in the position to which it is rocked.

The roller 101 is adapted to be slid along the eccentric bushing 104 from a position out of the plane of rotation of the cam 102 to a position in full face engagement with the cam 102 by means of a lever 11'! pivotally mounted at 118 on the lever 100 and provided with a pin 119 riding in an annular groove 20 formed in the hub 121 of the roller 101, a stop screw 122 functioning to limit the movement of the roller axially of the eccentric 104 by engaging a lug 123 on the lever 100.

Rocking of the lever 117 to align the roller 101 with the cam 102 is effected by a rod 125, one end of which is pivotally connected to the free end of the regular loose course lever 126 of the machine while its opposite end is connected to a lever 12'7 pivoted at 128 to a bracket 129 secured to the front beam 3.

The upper end of the lever 12''! is adapted to engage a pin 130 of a crank element 131, a second pin 132 of which is adjustably mounted in a bearing 133 formed on the lever 117. It is highly essential that the roller 102 have a full face bearing on the peripheral edge of the cam 102 to prevent irregular wearing away of the two elements which will cause improper operation of the loose course mechanism, in view of which the crank element may be adjusted around the axis of the pin 132 to move the pin 130 closer to or further away from the pivot 128 of the lever 127 which later receives a uniform rocking motion from the rod 125.

As usual the regular loose course lever 126 is provided with a projection 135 which is adapted to be engaged by buttons 136 carried by the regular pattern chain 137 of the machine. The pattern chain 137, as usual is moved longitudinally one step for each revolution of the cam shaft 5 by which one course of stitches is produced and the buttons 136 are arranged on the chain in a manner to hold the roller 101 in line with the cam 102 during one revolution of the shaft 5 and to release the roller during the next revolution of the shaft 5, whereby the spring 138 moves the roller 101 out of the plane of rotation of the cam 102.

In this manner the stitch-regulating shaft 29 and the stitch-regulating lever 33 are rocked first to the loose course, or super-loose course position above referred to during the laying of the thread to the needles for one course of stitches and then rocked to the normal or intermediate stitch position (to which it is moved when knitting a regular reinforced toe according to the prior art) during the laying of the thread to the needles for the formation of the next course, and so on in this alternating manner until the toe of the stocking is completed.

In order to equalize the movements of the booster cam 93 and the push link '74 in rocking the stitch-regulating lever 33 to the loose stitch position, the push link '74 is preferably made in two parts 74a and 74b respectively. These parts are pivotally connected at 1'75 and one of the parts, for example the part 74a, is provided with laterally extending wings 1'76, 1'76, each having a lug in the plane of the part 75b and in which is mounted an adjusting screw 177 which bears against the side of the link part 7512. By turning the screws 17''! the linear relation between the parts '74a and 752) may be changed. 5

The curved lever '72 is preferably slotted at 1'78 and the pin '73, by which the link '74 is pivotally connected to the lever '72, is adjustably mounted in the slot 1'78, to increase or decrease the distance between the pivot 41 of the rocker frame 40 and the push link pivot '73.

By adjusting the pivot '73 in the slot 1'78 and by adjusting the screws 1'77, 177 the leverage 73-41 may be equalized with the throw of the booster cam 93 in rocking the stitch-regulating lever 33 to the loose stitch position; and by adjusting the screws 1'77, 177 the push screw '79 and cam roller '75 may be brought into correct relation with the projection 80 and the cam 81 to function in the most efiicient manner.

I claim:

1. In a flat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needie bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, means for holding said lever in a normal stitch position, a rocker element, means operatively connecting said rocker element and said lever, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements of the threadlaying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of a single needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means whereby the stitch-regulating lever would be correspondingly rocked from said normal stitch position to a loose stitch position, and means automatically operated in timed relation to said thread laying means for releasing the stitch-regulating lever from the rocker element during one of said rocking motions of said rocking element.

2. In a flat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, means for holding said lever in a normal stitch position, a rocker element, means operatively connecting said rocker element and said lever, means operating in synchronism with the'needle-traversing movements of the threadlaying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of a single needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means whereby the stitch-regulating lever would be correspondingly rocked from said normal stitch position to a loose stitch position, means for releasing the stitch-regulating lever from the rocker element during one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, and means operating in conjunction with said connecting means to rock the stitchregulating lever to said loose stitch position during the eifective rocking motion of said rocking element to relieve said connecting means of strain incidental to moving the stitch-regulating lever to said loose stitch position.

3. In a flat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, a shaft receiving one complete revolution for each needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means, a cam on said shaft for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a booster cam on said shaft for moving said stitch-regulating lever to a loose stitch position, a rocker element, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements, of the thread-laying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of each single needle-traversing movement of said thread-laying means, a link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for holding said stitch-regulating lever in said loose stitch position to which the lever has been moved by said booster cam prior to one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, and a cam on said shaft for holding said link in an inoperative position during the other of the rocking movements of said rocking element.

4. In a fiat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, a shaft receiving one complete revolution for each needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means, a cam on said shaft for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a booster cam on said shaft for moving said stitch-regulating lever to a loose stitch position, a rocker element, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements of the thread-laying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of each single needle-traversing movement of said thread-laying means, a link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for holding said stitch-regulating lever in said loose stitch position to which the lever has been moved by said booster cam prior to one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, a cam on said shaft for holding said link in an inoperative position during the other of the rocking movements of said rocking element, and a second link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for moving said lever to an intermediate stitch position during said other rocking motion of the rocking element.

5. In a fiat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, a shaft receiving one complete revolution for each needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means, a cam on said shaft for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a booster cam on said shaft for moving said stitch-regulating lever to a loose stitch position, a rocker element, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements of the thread-laying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of each single needle-traversing movement of said thread-laying means, a link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for holding said stitchregulating lever in said loose stitch position to which the lever has been moved by said booster cam prior to one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, a cam on said shaft for holding said link in an inoperative position during the other of the rocking movements of said rocking element, whereby a single course of stitches produced by the needles of said bank will include a group of loose stitches adjacent one end thereof while the remainder of the course will be composed of normal stitches, and means for reversing said order in the next formed course of stitches whereby said group duced at the opposite end of the bank of needles.

6. In a flat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, a shaft receiving one complete revolution for each needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means, a cam on said shaft for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a booster cam on said shaft for moving said stitch-regulating lever to a loose stitch position, a rocker element, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements of the thread-laying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of each single needle-traversing movement of said thread-laying means, a link forming an intermediate connection between the of loose stitches will be prorocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for holding said stitch-regulating lever in said loose stitch position to which the lever has been moved by said booster cam prior to one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, a cam on said shaft for holding said link in an inoperative position during the other of the rocking movements of said rocking element, means for reversing the relative positions of the groups of loose stitches in successive courses respectively whereby the loose stitch groups will alternate with normal stitches walewise and at opposite sides respectively of a fabric composed of said successive courses of stitches.

'7. In a flat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, a shaft receiving one complete revolution for each needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means, a cam on said shaft for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a booster cam on said shaft for moving said stitch-regulating lever to a loose stitch position, a rocker element, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements of the thread-laying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of each single needle-traversing movement of said thread-laying means, a link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for holding said stitch-regulating lever in said loose stitch position to which the lever has been moved by said booster cam prior to one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, a cam on said shaft for holding said link in an inoperative position during the other of the rocking movements of said rocking element, a second link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for moving said lever to an intermediate stitch position during said other rocking motion of the rocking element, whereby a single course of stitches produced by the needles will include a group of loose stitches at one end, a group of intermediate stitches at its opposite end, and a group of normal stitches between said groups, and means for reversing said order in the next formed course, whereby said groups of loose and intermediate stitches will be formed at the opposite ends of the course from which they were respectively formed in the first said course.

8. In a flat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, a shaft receiving one complete revolution for each needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means, a cam on said shaft for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a booster cam on said shaft for moving said stitch-regulating lever to a loose stitch position, a rocker element, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements of the thread-laying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of each single needle-traversing movement of said thread-laying means, a link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for holding said stitch-regulating lever in said loose stitch position to which the lever has been moved by said booster cam prior to one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, a cam on said shaft for holding said link in an inoperative position during the other of the rocking movements of said rocking element, a second link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for moving said lever to an intermediate stitch position during said other rocking motion of the rocking element, whereby a single course of stitches produced by the needles will include a group of loose stitches at one end, a group of intermediate stitches at its opposite end, and a group of normal stitches between said groups, means for reversing said order in the next formed course, whereby said groups of loose and intermediate stitches will be formed at the opposite ends of the course from which they were respectively formed in the first said course, and means for producing a number of successive courses respectively composed completely of loose stitches alternating with courses respectively composed completely of intermediate stitches.

9. In a flat knitting machine comprising a bank of relatively fixed needles, a series of sinkers, thread-laying means adapted to traverse the needle bank, a stitch-regulating lever controlling the stitch-measuring positions of the needles relative to the sinkers, a shaft receiving one complete revolution for each needle-traversing movement of the thread-laying means, a cam on said shaft for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a booster cam on said shaft for moving said stitch-regulating lever to a loose stitch position, a rocker element, means operating in synchronism with the needle-traversing movements of the thread-laying means for rocking said rocker element once adjacent each end of each single needle-traversing movement of said thread-laying means, a link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for holding said stitch-regulating lever in said loose stitch position to which the lever has been moved by said booster cam prior to one of said rocking motions of said rocking element, a cam on said shaft for holding said link in an inoperative position during the other of the rocking movements of said rocking element, a second link forming an intermediate connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for moving said lever to an intermediate stitch position during said other rocking motion of the rocking element, whereby a single course of stitches produced by the needles will include a group of loose stitches at one end, a group of intermediate stitches at its opposite end, and a group of normal stitches between said groups, means for reversing said order in the next formed course, whereby said groups of loose and intermediate stitches will be formed at the opposite ends of the course from which they were respectively formed in the first said course, and means for producing a number of successive courses respectively com posed completely of loose stitches alternating with courses respectively composed completely of normal stitches.

10. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, a pivotally mounted rocker arm, a pair of links affording separate connections between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for operating the latter to relatively different angular positions under the same pivotal movement of the rocker element, and means for rendering one of said links ineffective during effective actuation of the other of said links.

11. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, a pivotally mounted rocker arm, a pair of links affording separate connections between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever for operating the latter to relatively different angular positions under the same pivotal movement of the rocker element, means for rendering one of said links ineffective during effective actuation of the other of said links, and a booster cam cooperating with the link providing the greater angular movement -of the stitch-regulating lever to effect said greater operation thereof.

12. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, a pivotally mounted rocker element, relatively long and short-throw links pivotally connected to said rocker element at relatively different distances from the pivot of said rocker element respectively and operatively engaging the stitchregulating lever at equally spaced distances from the pivot thereof, and means for rendering the long throw link ineffective during alternate rocking cycles of the rocker element.

13. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, a pivotally mounted rocker element, relatively long and short-throw links pivotally connected to said rocker element at relatively different distances from the pivot of said rocker element respectively and operatively engaging the stitch-regulating lever at equally spaced distances from the pivot thereof. means for rendering the long throw link ineffective during alternate rocking cycles of the rocker element, and a booster cam cooperating with the long throw link to actuate the stitch-regulating lever.

14. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, means for holding the stitch-regulating lever in a normal stitch position, a pivotally mounted rocker element, relatively long and shortthrow links pivotally connected to said rocker element at relatively different distances from the pivot of said rocker element respectively and operatively engaging the stitch-regulating lever at equally spaced distances from the pivot thereof for moving the stitch-regulating lever to loose and intermediate stitch positions respectively,

link ineffective during alternate rocking cycles of the rockor element, and means for rendering said shortthrow link ineffective during said alternate rocking cycles permitting said normal stitch-positioning means to control said stitch-regulating lever.

15. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, means for holding said lever in a normal stitch position, a rocker element, a link affording operative connection between said lever and said rocker element to rock the lever to a loose stitch position, a second link affording operative connection between said lever and said rocker element to rock the lever to an intermediate stitch position, means for rocking said rocking element successively, and means for rendering the loose stitch link ineffective during alternate rocking cycles of the rocker element to permit said intermediate stitch link to become effective.

16. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, a pivotally mounted rocker element, a supplemental lever pivotally mounted adjacent the rocker element for operative said rocker element, a link pivotally connected to the supplemental lever and affording an operative connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever, said link comprising a pair of pivotally connected elements, and means carried by one and engaging the other of said link elements to effect change in the linear relation between said elements.

17. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, a pivotally mounted rocker element, a supplemental lever pivotally mounted adjacent the rocker element for operative engagement with said rocker element, a link pivotally connected to the supplemental lever and affording an operative connection between the rocker element and the stitch-regulating lever, said link comprising a pair of pivotally connected elements, means carried by one and engaging the other of said link elements to effect change in the linear relation between said elements, and means affording adjustment for the pivot connecting said link and supplemental lever relative to the pivot of the rocker element.

18. The combination of a stitch-regulating lever, a shaft, a pivotally mounted rocker element, a supplemental lever pivotally mounted adjacent the pivot of the rocker element and operatively engaged by said rocker element, a two part link having one end pivotally connected to the supplemental lever and its opposite end in operative engagement with the stitch-regulating lever, a roller on said link intermediate said opposite ends thereof, a cam on said shaft engaging said roller for lifting the link out of engagement with the stitch-regulating lever, means affording adjustment of the link pivot relative to the rocker element pivot for determining the extent of rocking of the stitch-regulating lever by the rocker element, and means for adjusting the two parts of the link relative to each other to maintain a definite relation between the roller and the portion of the link engaging the stitch-regulating lever.

19. The combination of a frame, a stitch-regulating shaft, a cam shaft, a loose stitch lever secured to said stitch-regulating shaft, a loose stitch cam on said cam shaft, a roller carried by said loose stitch lever for engagement with said cam, a stud supporting said roller for axial movement into and out of engagement with said cam, a rollershifting lever pivoted to said loose stitch lever for effecting said axial movement of the roller, an actuating lever pivoted to said frame, and a crank element adjustably carried by one and engaging the other to determine the lever ratio between said roller-shifting and actuating levers.

20. The combination of a stitch-regulating shaft, a cam shaft, a lever on the first said shaft, a cam on said cam shaft, a roller on the lever engageable with the cam, a stud carried by the lever, an eccentric bushing on the stud affording rotary support for the roller, a pair of stops at opposite sides of the stud for regulating the throw of the eccentric and a spring connected at its opposite ends to the lever and eccentric respectively and adapted to cross the axis of the stud to maintain the eccentric in engagement with one or the other of said stops.

ERNST OSCAR NEBEL.

engagement with 

